Trotskyism

Trotskyism -- Marxist ideology -- theory of permanent revolution -- theory of Leon Trotsky d. 1940 -- Bolshevik Party leader, Russian Revolution -- theory that (historically) economic system had to be seen -- as world system rather than national system -- all national economic development (according to Trotsky) -- affected by laws of world market -- and through regional factors & pressures from surrounding countries -- in Trotsky view, Russian Revolution, to be successful -- needs revolutions in other countries, esp. Western Europe -- emphasis of hegemony of working class over revolutionary class -- due to position in industry & advanced sectors of economy Counterposed to Trotsky's ideas of permanent revolution -- equals:  socialism in one country national self-sufficiency & self-centredness -- by 1920s Soviet Union Communist Party overly bureaucratised -- 1924:  Trotsky attack on bureaucracy of Bolshevik Old Guard -- called for more democracy within and beyond Communist Party -- opposed the conception of a monolithic party -- 1929:  Stalin exiles Trotsky -- Trotskyists increase attack on Soviet bureaucracy (dictatorship of one) -- claim of 'degenerated workers' state': --  means of production nationalised -- but bureaucratic regime rules -- 1930s:  looks like they kissed & made up in the 30s to fight rise of fascism -- 1940:  Trotsky ice-picked in Mexico, reportedly by Stalin's agent -- Trotskyism: loose generic term for extreme revolutionary doctrines -- united only by opposition to the bourgeois http://www.britannica.com/topic/Trotskyism otherwise described as: communism - a political theory favouring collectivism in a classless society http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Trotskyism COMMENT Well, it doesn't look like Trotskyism is for me. I'm built more along Stalin lines.  But I'm not really into any kind of collectivism, so revolution is out for me. The 'permanent revolution' and world economic system viewpoint sounds a lot like capitalism, in that capitalism is permanently at war, either trying to spread capitalism or trying to prevent other nations choosing their own way of life, while aiming to control as much in world trade as the capitalists can control.

Boer Wars

history Boer Wars Boers Dutch/German for 'farmer' Great Britain wins Napoleonic Wars Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815) Napoleon Bonaparte France vs. Europe Battles extensive ... no time to read http://www.britannica.com/event/Napoleonic-Wars "Britain’s ultimate success against Napoleon, like its importance in this period as a whole, owed much to its wealth—its capacity to raise loans through its financial machinery and revenue through the prosperity of its inhabitants and the extent of its trade. But British success also owed much to the power of its navy and to the energy and aggressiveness of its ruling class, which was particularly apparent in the imperial expansion of this period." "Every major war Britain engaged in during this period increased its colonial power. The Seven Years’ War was particularly successful in this respect, and so were the Napoleonic Wars. Between 1793 and 1815 Britain gained 20 colonies ..." "By 1820 the total population of the territories it governed was 200 million, 26 percent of the world’s total population. Not all of these acquisitions were formally directed by London. Captain James Cook’s explorations of Australia and New Zealand after 1770 were in part an exercise in private enterprise and scientific inquiry. Nonetheless, British settlement of Australia at New South Wales began in 1787, in part because the mother country needed another repository for transported convicts previously sent to the North American colonies. The East India Company also retained considerable initiative in its military strategies. In 1819 Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles seized Singapore for the company and not on London’s instructions. But, however acquired, all these acquisitions added to Britain’s power and reputation. It was no accident, perhaps, that its two national anthems, “God Save the King” and “Rule Britannia,” were composed in this period. For the privileged and the rich, this was preeminently an era of confidence and arrogance." Linda J. Colley http://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom/William-Pitt-the-Younger#ref483378 1814: Britain gains ceded Dutch South African territory - Cape Colony -- over 160 years of Dutch influence in South Africa comes to end -- by this time, colonists:     -- Dutch     -- German     -- French -- had evolved to distinct people:  Boers or Afrikaners -- Boers (Dutch/German - 'farmer') -- spoke Taal - 17th Century Dutch -- Taal later became known as 'Afrikaans' -- Boers:  hardy farmers & cattle herders -- independent, resented govt interference -- particular issues re:  Hottentots -- Boers migrated further away from reach of authority before the British -- Boers came into close proximity with Bantu -- near continuous conflict over territory & grazing rights -- British intro policies concerning black populations -- Boers operated under concept that slavery is personal affair -- Boers resented policy that interfered with their affairs -- troubles began when British govt tried to abolish slavery -- & when British govt ordered emancipation of slaves in Cape Colony 1834 -- compensation was to be paid, but what was promised did not materialise -- many slave-owning farmers ruined -- Boers decided to move again, far from British -- mass migration referred to by Boers as the 'Great Trek' -- Boers declare several small republics 1838 -- between Orange & Vaal Rivers -- among those:  Transvaal -- came into conflict with:  Zulu -- conflicts began -- 1854:  Boers independence from British -- with establishment of:  ORANGE FREE STATE -- next 30 years quiet -- 1880:  British influence intolerable -- diamonds & gold discovered in various parts -- led to British annexing of parts of region, 1867 -- despite Boer vehement protests -- problems of the time for Boers:     -- free spirited lifestyle     -- refusal to pay taxes     -- infighting among leaders     -- political anarchy & emasculation of govt     -- tribes amassing on borders for invasion:         -- Bapedi tribe         -- Zulu tribe -- 1877: Britain annexed the Transvaal -- 1879:  Boer open defiance of British authority -- British build fortified garrisons across country to control Boer uprising -- 1880:  Boer attempts to peacefully regain independent status blocked -- Boers proclaimed republic in Transvaal -- Boers attacked British troops who refused to evacuate newly declared republic -- Boer leadership:  SJ Paul Kruger & Petrus (Piet) Jacobus Joubert -- mustered ad hoc force of 7,000 to drive out British -- Dec. 1880 Boer militia ambushes British column on way from -- garrison at Lydenburg to capital:  Pretoria -- Boer Wars ensue http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/military-history/the-start-of-the-boer-wars/ COMMENT The info about the British ascendency during period of various European wars was really interesting.  It looks like this is where the British gain most of their colonies. The list of Napoleonic battles looks really interesting.  Something to check out, when I get around to it during my travels.

Panama Papers PsyOp & No-Balls Ruling Oligarchy-Sponsored Propaganda 'Journalism'

[CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE]   re:  article below Let's see, sheeple ... Massive (purported) data dump WITHHELD from public by: 1. controlled, ruling oligarch-sponsored, corporate media & its 'brave', 'righteous' ruling oligarch-sponsored 'journalists' AND 2. ruling oligarch-sponsored NGOs (non-government organisations); AND 3. the ruling oligarch sponsored, trained and NGO taskforce assembled  -- ehem -- 'journalists'... Under the 'brave' umbrella of: such ruling oligarch-sponsored NGOs; and ruling oligarch-sponsored media; JUSTIFY WITHHOLDING INFORMATION FROM the oppressed public BY citing rhetoric involving: noble journalistic credo; and 'priestly' journalistic protections; PRESENTED to the masses as shining examples of what the ruling oligarch-controlled media likes to portray as 'responsible journalism' ... WHILE RECIPIENTS OF RULING OLIGARCH MUNIFICENCE ARE WITHHOLDING WHAT *PURPORTS* TO BE A MASSIVE & UNPRECEDENTED DATA DUMP THAT IS IN PUBLIC INTEREST TO RELEASE Sound familiar? Negotiated with what is: DATA DUMPER specially-chosen German corporate journalist IN WHAT IS US-ANGLO RULING CAPITALIST EMPIRE OCCUPATION SINCE-WWII DEFEAT of  GERMANY Denied sovereignty, tightly controlled & indoctrinated Germany. Negotiated with what is: CORPORATE JOURNALISM'S SILENT, withholding 'messenger' AND an  anonymous but chatty GOD OF A 'WHISTLEBLOWER' DATA DUMP THAT  we are expected to believe has colluded with class-enemy corporate media, to handball whistleblower data on the basis  ... THAT THE DATA SHALL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY source:  http://giphy.com GOING TO UNPRECEDENTED data hoovering & transfer efforts ...  to ... errrrrrrrrrrr, keep the data under wraps Yeah, right. All that effort expended on keeping data under wraps supposedly chosen over making logical whistleblower choice eg. proven whistleblower publishing organisation WikiLeaks ... with CREDIBILITY, EXPERIENCE, PROVEN TECHNICAL EXPERTISE ... and balls of steel Oh, sure. source:  http://giphy.com AND the: (i) ruling oligarch-sponsored MEDIA; (ii) ruling oligarch-sponsored NGOs; and (iii) ruling oligarch-sponsored 'journalists': 'BRAVELY' INTEND to: 1. WITHHOLD information from THE OPPRESSED PUBLIC, to whom this information RIGHTFULLY belongs (as information rightfully ought to be in the PUBLIC DOMAIN and not withheld from public access by middle-men who appoint themselves masters of the information the public is not permitted to see, once information is released to these middle-men on whistleblower basis); 2. WITHHOLD information from the authorities that may wish to prosecute tax dodging ruling oligarchs (and lesser-thieves of revenue resources from the OPPRESSED PUBLIC) ... The masses are expected to believe THE UNPRECEDENTED DATA HOOVER & TRANSFER OF DATA WHISTLEBLOWER GOD INTENDED and/or overlooked the following: A. THAT a vast trove of data would be withheld from the public, while the servants of the ruling oligarchy would be encouraged to cherry-pick ruling oligarch agenda serving snippets to strategically feed to the masses AND B. INDICATION the corporate media is: 1. PROPAGANDA MEDIA and an instrument of OPPRESSION of the people; 2. THAT corporate journalists, in general, are ruling oligarchy scribes and therefore CLASS ENEMIES of the OPPRESSED, INFORMATION-DENIED, CONSISTENTLY MISLED & INDOCTRINATED PEOPLE; 3. THAT  the ruling oligarch owned propaganda media has a LONG HISTORY of WITHHOLDING INFORMATION from the public & therefore DENYING THE PUBLIC INFORMED CONSENT; AND INDICATION that: 4. the ruling oligarch owned propaganda media has a LONG HISTORY of COOPERATING with the CORRUPT, OPPRESSIVE STATE and with law enforcement (a state that is puppet of the ruling oligarchy, that happens to own the corporate media as well as the government). Meanwhile, these same ruling oligarch-sponsored propaganda scribes that are effectively protecting the tax haven shelter scamming ruling oligarchy sponsors of media platforms and 'journalists' who are class enemies of the people, would have us believe they are: (1) acting in 'noble' public interests: (i) by placing what purports to be the 'protection' of loss of individual small-fry 'privacy' above the substantial counter-weight of: (a) public right to what *is* rightfully public domain information once released from originator as whistleblower material; & (b) the public right to justice and freedom from being further ripped off by the exploiting ruling oligarchy. (ii) by withholding a large data cache due to its size (which is in fact REASON TO RELEASE THE DATA CACHE as a public searchable repository); (Oooooooooh, how 'noble' of the ruling oligarch-sponsored information mediating & gate-keeping priesthood, considering the ENORMITY of the PURPORTED unprecedented data dump & its significance to the information-disenfranchised public) Bear in mind that the oligarch controlled corporate media, generally, thinks nothing of violating the privacy of European nationalists, to the social, economic and other detriment of such persons exercising the suppressed right to free thinking, free expression, free exchange of information and opinion, and political freedom. (2) acting in whistle-blower interests: Once again, THE SAME PROPAGANDA SCRIBES of the ruling establishment WHO PURPORT TO HAVE ACCEPTED A LARGE DATA DUMP have DONE SO KNOWING they would not be able to manage and process this data in the normal 'journalistic' fashion: PERVERSELY RELY UPON  citing various  'justification' pretext rhetoric, including citing  'difficulty' of protecting the 'anonymous source' of the data dump, as: SHIELD  from responsibility to effect public disclosure & SHIELD from accountability for withholding information from the public AND AS: 'justification' for REFUSING TO RELEASE INFORMATION to the oppressed, mislead, & information-disenfranchised public THAT WHISTLE-BLOWING IS GENERALLY INTENDED TO SERVE   ... and the PUBLIC INTEREST presumably INTENDED TO BE SERVED by the DUMPER of the enormous cache of data RATHER than data intended to serve the 'priestly' information-mediating (and distorting) profession that is ruling oligarch owned 'journalism' BUT the intent here is something else It's bullsh*t How many intelligence services are involved in the making of this bullsh*t, I wonder? AND Propaganda scribes shamelessly cite rhetoric employed as a shield: AS IF the this rhetoric (in light of the facts) justifies RIPPING OFF THE PUBLIC by protecting the criminal among the sponsoring ruling oligarchy by (reportedly) ACCEPTING INFORMATION THE CONTROLLED MEDIA IS NOT PREPARED TO RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC  In which case, they do so for lack of: freedom from constraints of ruling oligarch-sponsorship; inclination; know-how; man-power; balls; or technical expertise. These ruling oligarch-sponsored 'journalists' not only have no right to WITHHOLD such information, but judging by their track record with what are withheld purported leaks: corporate 'journalists' have NO MORAL RIGHT TO ACCEPT WHISTLE-BLOWER INFORMATION  ON GATE-KEEPING, SILENCE & WITHHOLDING BASIS THAT IS THE TRACK RECORD OF SUCH ACCEPTANCE INFORMATION ought rightfully be channelled to the public domain. What a pathetic WANK this.   It SCREAMS:  'PSYOP!' DECEPTION IS THE SOLE PURPOSE OF RULING OLIGARCH-OWNED CORPORATE MEDIA PsyOp Summary: SOURCE http://www.dw.com/en/from-germany-to-the-us-authorities-want-access-to-panama-papers/a-19209191 Panama Toilet Papers -- German federal states call for media outlets to release 11.5 million documents -- "  " for increased measures against tax havens -- "  " for media outlets to give prosecutors access to documents Süddeutsche Zeitung's (SZ) newspaper -- journalists behind largest data leak in history refuse to:     -- give authorities access to the documents; or     -- publish documents online; DESPITE calls to do so by both: -- government officials; and -- representatives of whistle-blower organisation, WikiLeaks. -- journalist  Bastian Obermayer, first contact of 'anonymous source':   -- PERVERSELY using 'PROTECTION OF SOURCE'  -- as pretext to WITHHOLD information -- from the public domain -- PERVERSELY relying on -- protecting the anonymity of the public rhetoric -- in order to WITHHOLD what is rightfully PUBLIC INFORMATION US attorney for Manhattan Preet Bharara -- according to the establishment scribes, The Guardian, sends letter to: -- International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) -- indicating US Dept. of Justice has opened criminal investigation -- & seeking access to data However, ICIJ Director Gerard Ryle: -- refuses to release unpublished data to:     -- the Department of Justice     -- other US govt entities     -- or the PUBLIC, to whom this information rightfully belongs -- perversely using 'focus on journalism' as  SHIELD -- while denying the public INFORMATION -- IN ADDITION -- PERVERSELY PROTECTING OFFSHORE MONEY-STASHING RULING OLIGARCHY -- re  ICIJ & its parent organisation - 'Center for Public Integrity' -- citing media organisation shielding by First Amendment -- from being an ARM OF LAW ENFORCEMENT -- minor sacrificial 'victim' of American PsyOp, Dave Bacon-Lover Cameron -- CALLS ON RELEASE OF INFORMATION with tax inspectors SOURCE http://www.dw.com/en/from-germany-to-the-us-authorities-want-access-to-panama-papers/a-19209191 COMMENT: The information should be made available to everybody & not just law enforcement, which was refused.  Refused information, along with the public.  Denial of information to the public is as ridiculous as it gets.  What an entitled, arrogant bunch of capitalist serving bastards. VIVA LAS VEGAS

US Gangster State Kidnappers & Swedish Lying Rape-Sponsoring State

US Gangster State Kidnappers & Swedish Lying Rape-Sponsoring State SOURCE https://www.rt.com/politics/338760-us-violates-international-treaties-interpol/ US flouts international law & Interpol protocols, says father of abducted Russian suspect Published time: 7 Apr, 2016 10:25 Russian MP Valery Selesnyov has said that the detention of his son by US special services violated not only the extradition agreement between Moscow and Washington but also the basic rules of Interpol. “The United States have considerably devalued international institutions. Americans insist that they have some exclusive right to put their domestic laws over the international ones. And they ignore organizations like Interpol,” Seleznyov said in an interview with Izvestia daily. “The grounds for my son’s detention have been presented as Interpol’s Red Notice, but the Russian branch of this organization knew nothing about any Red Notice issued on a Russian citizen’s name and therefore they simply ignored us as members of this international organization,” he added. READ MORE: Russia’s Foreign Ministry urges US ‘to stop harassing kidnapped Russian MP’s son’ The lawmaker said that the US prosecution had started to use tactics aimed at exhausting the suspect and decided to press additional charges in order to postpone the date of verdict, currently scheduled for May 9. “The prosecutors have understood that the whole array of charges presented by them would obviously be destroyed by the defense’s arguments. They decided to collect some additional data and it will require more time to study it, which means that the court session will be postponed yet another time. This is the US Justice’s objective – they use the exhaustion tactics. My son has already spent two years in pre-trial custody and any man can get desperate when his future is uncertain,” Seleznyov told reporters. He added that it was difficult to foresee what the sentence could be because the whole process is extremely politicized. Valery Selesnyov’s son Roman was detained in July 2014 in the Maldives and immediately transported to the US territory of Guam, where he was officially charged on over 40 counts including identity theft, bank fraud, illegally accessing information on protected computers, and trafficking in unauthorized access devices. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison. The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement calling the operation to detain Roman Seleznyov and take him to the US soil “a literal kidnapping and flagrant violation of the laws of any civilized state as well as international law.” READ MORE: ‘US hunts for Russians’: Moscow warns citizens traveling abroad Russian diplomats pointed out that Roman Seleznyov was seriously injured in a terrorist attack in Morocco in 2011 and the conditions that he was being kept in did not allow for proper medical treatment. The Russian side warned that as a result his health and even his life are in danger. The ministry noted that Seleznyov’s abduction was very similar to the cases of Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko, who were also forced to go to the US from third countries and convicted on dubious charges. SOURCE https://www.rt.com/politics/338760-us-violates-international-treaties-interpol/ COMMENT With a track record of arrogantly and illegally extending American domestic law to foreign soil; With a track record of kidnapping foreigners to prosecute in domestic jurisdiction; the United Snakes has most likely planned a Julian Assange, journalist, abduction from Sweden (or maybe even the UK). That explains why this farce of state political persecution of a journalist (who exposed American and allied criminality) is being carried out in the United Kingdom (at enormous public cost), spanning over 5 years now:  While Sweden has done everything it can to avoid even interviewing Assange over dodgy-as dodgy Swedish police 'allegations' (on the advice of British state lawyers). [CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE] Wake up.  This is the same Swedish state that facilitates brutal rapes of Swedish women by virtue policy, irrespective of the social costs. AND the same Swedish police that have COVERED UP MASS SEX ASSAULTS OF YOUNG SWEDISH GIRLS AND WOMEN BY FOREIGNERS. Welcome to Sweden FEMINIST SWEDEN [CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE]        [CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE]

European Council of Oligarch Rights - Yukos

European Council of Oligarch Rights - Yukos https://www.rt.com/business/215155-russia-accepts-court-verdict/ Russia ‘forced to accept’ €1.86bn compensation for former shareholders of oil giant Published time: 17 Dec, 2014 13:02 Russia has agreed to pay €1.86 billion in compensation to former Yukos shareholders after the European "The judges have made the decision. We are forced to accept it. We believe it is unreasonable, but there’s nothing we can do," said Konovalov as quoted by RIA. At the same time he said Russia is not obliged to abide by the decisions of the ECHR, adding that the enforcement of decisions is ‘goodwill’ on the part of a member country of the Council of Europe. "Life will show to what extent this decision will be enforced in Russia," he said. On Tuesday the ECHR ruled against the Ministry of Justice appeal to overturn the July 2014 decision. The court then ordered Russia to pay the compensation. Russia must now pay €1.86 billion (US$2.51 billion) to the former shareholders of Russia's once largest private oil company for unfair tax proceedings, which allegedly led to the liquidation of Yukos in 2007. The compensation sum was calculated on the basis of fines imposed on Yukos by the Ministry of Taxes and Assessments in 2000 and 2001 following a tax audit. A part of the seven percent execution fee levied against the company was included as well. Another ruling by the International Arbitration Court in the Netherlands has ended a decade long case brought by former Yukos shareholders which ordered Russia to pay about $50 billion in damages. The Yukos oil company existed from 1993 to 2007. In August 2006 it was declared bankrupt at the request of a syndicate of foreign banks to which Yukos owed about $500 million. Later this debt was purchased by Rosneft. In 2007 the company's property was sold at auction to cover its debts. Yukos was dissolved on November 21, 2007. https://www.rt.com/business/215155-russia-accepts-court-verdict/ Council of Europe f. May 1949 founding states: Britain Ireland France Italy Luxemburg Netherlands Belgium Denmark Norway Sweden Greece & Turkey join 10 months later Iceland & Germany the following year currently 47 member states European Convention on Human Rights drafted in 1950 by the then newly formed Council of Europe entered into force on 3 September 1953 -- international treaty -- fundamental rights & freedoms -- compensations imposed under ECHR large -- Russia to pay excess of $2 billion in damages to shareholders of Yukos   all European states currently members council *except states not recognised *except Belarus, Vatican & Kazakhstan observer states: USA & Japan -- criticised b/c both apply death penalty https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_the_Council_of_Europe COMMENT From what I've read, it's the Russians that need to be compensated. Russia became a member state of the Council of Europe in 1996, but as the Council has no enforcement capacity, Russia ought to tell the Council to get stuffed. Council membership is overrated, especially when you're being economically sanctioned by all these a$$holes.

Planet Tokyo

Death Masks music: Lee Rosevere 'Red Danube' source COMMENT I made this!  ... Sort of. Images are from all over. Music is the above guy's.   Really like the sound of that. Sort of half-assed job putting things together.  Just playing with things to see how they'd turn out.  And all I've done is put music to image in the video maker thingy (after assembling pics elsewhere). So all I really managed to do here is move things and cut the audio where I wanted it cut. *PS  ... I don't have plug-in to see if this video has loaded properly.  Hoping it is.  LOL Think this needs an edit.  It's too still.

Gregorian Chants

-------/\/\/ Gregorian Chant LINK Audio | Gloria Plain Song / Gregorian Chant Timeline BACKGROUND: End of Antiquity (Greco-Roman) Roman Republic Roman Empire Roman Empire carries on traditions established by Greeks NEW CULT ON THE BLOCK: Rise of Christianity First Century CE new religious cult:  figure Jew & Roman subject Yehoshua of Nazareth (aka 'Jesus') teachings focus on: 1.  one god 2.  equality between social classes [comment:  sounds like the current 'oneness' or universality ideology and indoctrination underpinning the international law US-led Western power-grab; establishment of supranational institutions; intrusions on national sovereignty AND intrusions on individuality & choice, in the name of enshrining the rights of various minorities (which always involves obligations on the fettered majority, versus onus on the minority to adapt to the majority); & the entirety of the 'humanitarian' ideology, with its in-step drive alongside capitalism, towards globalisation and centralised control of the planet by ruling capitalist elites.   Now there seems to be a secular god:  it is an outward 'god' of capitalism (its Messiah), & that god is 'man', the labourer, the debt-slave and the consumer.  The oneness/unity and equality spin sounds a lot like Marxism, only they're not looking at economic equality (just dictating a socially Marxist regime, that's not dispossessing the capitalists -- it's dispossessing the people).   And it's a god that demands 'safe spaces' ... LOL ...  If capitalism is the modern-age Messiah, if man is the modern god, then there is also a 'holy spirit' (and that is money/profits/ global markets etc) ... so it's a HOLY TRINITY and profit/money is the Holy Spirit, or something like that.] -- dangerous to Roman power structure [comment:  modern-day secular version of this religion is not at all dangerous to the US-led capitalists who believe they have a right to 'global markets'.  However, it is dangerous to everyone else.   The Capitalist Empire which indoctrinates & pushes for a universal 'love-in', fits in with the agenda pushing for a vast one world human cattle market of producers and consumers, with gradual dismemberment of sovereign nation states and individual peoples as individual peoples with their own identities, cultures and values/moral choices. ] -- in Greece prior to Rome & in Rome, religion polytheistic -- (worship more than one god, system of many gods) -- Roman emperors were also treated as gods themselves -- Christian idea of one god & non-violence  -- was dangerous to polytheistic power structure of Rome -- how would Rome maintain armies and defend borders [comment: Today's threat is: secular capitalist powers outwardly worshipping (ie exploiting) the 'humanitarian' sole 'god', having established various supranational authorities and structures that usurp power from the people of free nations; the use of international law to do much the same; plus failure of states to maintain INDEPENDENT, armed & fully combat ready national armies. Any nation that is incapable of defending itself with military force will cease to exist as a nation, by relying on the continued goodwill and continued existence of others (which comes with obligations that can be exploited & may not always be in national interests). The Christians preaching 'pacifism' but killing in the name of their ideology & torturing heretics etc, makes a mockery of the 'pacifism' preaching ... but the entire package is a mockery, including all the propaganda 'saints' and 'miracles'  ... What a fraud.] -- first three centuries:  persecution of Christians -- Emperor Constantine issues Edict of Milan, 3rd C. -- legalising & protecting Christianity -- under Roman laws, free to worship any god, -- as long as also worshipped the Roman gods & Roman emperors -- due to religious freedom in Rome, Christianity flourished -- Christianity then grew beyond critical mass able to be thwarted -- Christianity arose from cult to religion -- 60 years after Edict of Milan, Emperor Theodosius I -- makes Christianity official Roman state religion -- later, fall of Rome and continued rise of Christianity -- result:  beginning of period of severe unrest, war & famine -- world order cultivated through centuries Greco-Roman -- culture was soon replaced by tribalism and civil war -- eastern part of Roman empire held out better -- the Byzantine empire = abt. 5th C. to 1453 CE -- (capital, Constantinople) fell to Ottoman Turks -- eastern Roman empire gave rise to traditions of -- the Greek & Russian Orthodox churches -- eastern half of Empire, rise of Gregorian chant -- Christians of both the eastern & western portions -- of Roman Empire inherited the Jewish tradition of chanting scripture -- Jews would congregate & chant on specific days -- Jews would chant from Tehillim (ie 'praises' / aka 'Book of Psalms (C.)) -- Jews would chant from Ketuvim -- Tehillim -- first book of the Ketuvim ('Writings') (third section of Hebrew bible) -- 'psalms' = Gk. for 'psalmoi' ('instrumental music') -- many psalms / tehillim are linked to King David    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalms -- Christians share the 'old testament' with Jusaism /sing or intone tehillim -- to 'intone' is to sing from one note -- singing of songs from bible was referred to as psalmedy -- early Christians would meet for communal meals & worship -- at these meals, they would sing hymns & psalms (ie tehillim) -- large, rectangular spaces for gatherings known as 'basilicas' -- early Christians (eg Saint Augustine) -- recognised music's power to influence -- character & mood, similar to Greek convention of ethos -- Augustine & others considered music's power to influence mood -- to best be used for worshipping god -- therefore, non-spiritual music (esp. instrumental music) was deemed sinful -- for this reason, nearly all next 1,000 years of European music is acapella -- ie. all unaccompanied singing with no instruments -- Christianity developed a monastic tradition of intense, isolated worship -- and heavy prayer -- monastic monks developed a system for singing the psalm (tehillim) verses -- & for singing the hymns -- / the difference between the two:     -- psalms (tehillim) = derived from bible     -- hymns have extra biblical sources -- many newly written texts and prayers -- are both songs of praise -- which eventually coalesced into a repertoire -- of chants & bible readings, known as a 'liturgy' -- the songs they sang are defined as 'plain song' -- at least five distinct liturgical repertoires (aka 'dialects') of plain song:     -- Ambrosian (Milanese)     -- Gaelican     -- Mozarabic (Arabised Iberians, Spain - Moorish rule, Christian)     -- Old Roman     -- Gregorian     [ see also:  Andalusi Romance]    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozarabs -- the Old Roman dialect (ie chant) was standardised eventually throughout Christendom -- this repertoire of plain song is known as 'Gregorian chant' -- Pope Gregory I (aka Saint Gregory the Great), the namesake of this musical material -- Pope Gregory I:  ruled as pope from 590 CE to 604 CE -- he lived centuries before the REDISCOVERY of musical notation -- notational systems developing following Antiquity were long forgotten by his time -- for following reason, Gregorian liturgical dialect came to dominate: legend of Saint Gregory:  created as propaganda, in favour of Roman liturgy over others -- legend:  'holy spirit', permutation of the Christian god -- took the form of a dove and dictated the form of the Roman repertoire -- to Saint Gregory -- the propaganda worked:  all the competing chanting -- repertoires were eventually suppressed -- manner of suppression, borne of political alliance between the Franks -- peoples of modern France and Germany, & the Roman popes abt. 752 CE -- formed between the King of the Franks Pepin the First -- & leader of church, Pope Stephen II -- mutually beneficial deal:     -- church needed protection from hostile northern tribes (Lombards)     -- Frankish kings needed formal recognition of hereditary rights to         consolidate their power -- results of alliance successful:     -- Lombards expelled from (now) northern Italy     -- Rome recognised Pepin as official ruler of Frankish lands -- King Pepin actively imported Roman liturgy for official use -- Pepin's son, Charlemagne, completely conquered the Lombards -- and even more actively imported the Roman liturgy -- arriving triumphant into Rome as protector of papacy -- Charlemagne was crowned first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire -- on Christmas Day of 800 CE -- inception of Holy Roman Empire makes [five (5)] separate permutations of Rome     1.  Roman Republic     2.  Roman Empire     3.  Western Roman Empire - Rome     4.  Eastern Roman Empire - Constantinople (Byzantine empire)     5.  Holy Roman Empire -- Gregorian chant is derived from the OLD ROMAN CHANT DIALECT -- because it evolved in capital city of Christendom (Rome) -- newly inaugurated season of peace led to:  Carolingian Renaissance -- ie. period of philosophical & cultural flourishing in what is today:     France, Germany & Italy -- [propaganda] + political stability = Gregorian chant thrives *comment:  Christendom would have surely entered Greece first?  *comment:  I have added the split east/west Roman empire (above), making it x5 permutations (rather than the four mentioned) above a summary of audio by Brian Jump Audio | Brian Jump Dark Ages retrogression (govt & social, illiteracy rampant, knowledge & philosophy forgotten) --  for:  1,000 years 5th to 15th Century CE Transition from Antiquity to Middle Ages Emperor Theodosius I Theodosius the Great (Flavius Theodosius) issues decree, establishing Christianity official religion of Rome ended state sponsorship for traditional Roman gods introduced a period of prosecution & punishment for non-Christians -- religious turmoil that resulted, contributed to religious instability already evident in civil war and border conflicts with northern barbarians (the Goths) On death of Theodosius, two sons split empire: -- eastern Empire:  Constantinople -- western Empire:  Rome Rome was in freefall, but Christianity was ascending     Gregorian Chant is derived from the old Roman chant dialect, having evolved in the capital city of Christendom  -------/\/\/ LINK | Audio | Dies Mei COMMENT This was really interesting: religion, history & music in one package. Might have to come back to checking some of these links. No time now. Civilisation is only a very thin veneer.  I'm betting there will be another 'fall of Rome' and civilisation will be lost for hundreds of years (if there's survivors after nukes war). *Religion is (a) tradition (b) social control, c) political control, manipulation & opportunism, and (d) one of the means of large common interest groups (values, tradition, heritage etc) organising themselves socially, politically, administratively, culturally etc., a way of maintaining group cohesion/unity; it is a way of asserting political power as a group -- a strategy of having group (leader) interests met; and it is probably a social strategy, which goes back to organisation of large human groups generally.  That's all I can think of, just off the top of my head. I find religion very interesting, as religion is entwined with history, sociology and politics (plus art, music and so much more).  Religion is politics. I think.  LOL  It certainly has an impact -- eg. Pope whoever-his-assumed-pope-name is currently making pronouncements on immigration to USA, and thus undoubtedly attempting to influence domestic US policies (while pushing for much the same in Europe).  These people have no business leading the gullible to vote against their own interests.  But that would most likely be in keeping with the historic role of these Christian religious frauds:  ie screw the masses. I cannot understand why European Christians do not return to the ancient religions of their European ancestors:  at least it would be authentic. NOTE:  if early Christianity quickly reached a 'critical mass' in the Roman Empire, that  could not be repelled by the Roman state, what does that tell Europeans about the potential for the demise of Europe when the 'critical mass' of non-indigenous peoples & non-Western values/ideology/religion/customs is approached etc. Europe will be finished.